Winless since he captured last year's Manhattan Handicap (gr. IT) on the Belmont Park turf, Meteor Storm returns to New York Saturday to face a strong group of 10 foes in the latest renewal of the $400,000 event on the Belmont Stakes undercard.

Irish-bred Macaw drew in from the also-eligible list for Keeneland's Fifth Third Elkhorn Stakes (gr. IIIT) with the scratch of morning line favorite Magistretti, then looped the entire field to win Friday's $200,000 closing-day feature by 2 1/2 lengths.

Jeri and Sam Knighton's Request for Parole, a 5-year-old who has found a new lease on life since switching to the turf last year, came from well off the pace to capture Sunday's $100,000 Mac Diarmida Handicap (gr. IIIT) at Gulfstream Park.

The Irish-bred Macaw, often second in major stakes, tries to get back on the winning track at Gulfstream Park Sunday. He heads a field of 13 older horses in the $100,000 Mac Diarmida Handicap (gr. IIIT) at 1 3/8 mile on the turf. In an allowance race on the card, promising 3-year-old Stolen Time takes on Frisky Spider.

Anstu Stable's Balto Star and Dr. John Chandler's Cetewayo are millionaire grade I winners ranking high in the nation's distance turf division and will be among the favorites in Saturday's $200,000 W.L. McKnight Handicap (gr. II) at Calder.

Front-running Balto Star and jockey John Velazquez took advantage of his deliberate pace to spurt away in the stretch en route to an easy 3 1/4-length victory in Saturday's $150,000 Red Smith Handicap (gr. IIT) over soft going on the Aqueduct turf.

Balto Star and Macaw lead a field of a dozen runners expected for Saturday's $150,000 Red Smith Handicap (gr. IIT) at Aqueduct. The 1 1/8-mile turf race will be the rubber match for the pair, who has faced each other twice this year. After Balto Star retreated in the Sword Dancer (gr. IT), Macaw finished well ahead of him in second. In the Man 'o War, Balto Star held on for fourth, two spots ahead of a flat Macaw.

With Saratoga still fresh in everyone's mind, Belmont's first big "Fall Preview" weekend is already here. On paper, Mineshaft looks virtually unbeatable in the $500,000 Woodward Stakes (gr. I), but pay very close attention to Northern Rock, who should be rolling along on an uncontested lead.

Michael and Lynn Shanley's Whitmore's Conn and jockey Jean-Luc Samyn made a late surge in the stretch to register a major upset in the $500,000 Sword Dancer (gr. IT) before 31,153 at Saratoga Saturday.

Augustin Stable's With Anticipation breezed four furlongs in :51 3/5 in company with Erda this morning. Kate Fitzpatrick was up for the unconventional work, which took place over the steeplechase course at the Oklahoma training track. With Anticipation avoided the jumps, running around them.

Rick Violette Jr.'s Man From Wicklow should be a solid favorite in Saturday's $200,000 Pan American Handicap (gr. II), where he attempts to become the second horse to sweep the meet's two top turf handicaps.

Juddmonte Farms' Chiselling, the lone Grade I winner among the $200,000 Jamaica Handicap's (gr. IIT) cast of nine, will tote 121 pounds as the high weight for Sunday's 1 1/8-mile feature for 3-year-olds on the Belmont Park inner turf course.